Container structure



Oct. 19, 1965 R. J. wElKl-:RT

CONTAINER STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 9, 1965 INVENTOR.

ROY J. WEI KERT ATTORNEYS Oct. 19, 1965 R. J. wElKERT 3,212,681

CONTAINER STRUCTURE Filed oct. 9, 196s 4 sheets-sheet 2 PEG-5 lll/Il (rz INVENTOR. ROY J. WEIKERT ATTORNEYS Oct. 19, 1965 R. J. WEIKERT CONTAINER STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed 001'.. 9, 1963 FIG-14 INVENTOR. ROY J. WEIKERT ATTORNEYS Oct. 19, 1965 R. J. wElKERT CONTAINER STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 9, 1965 INVENTOR. ROY J. WEI KERT BY www4/M,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,212,681 p CNTAINER STRUCTURE Roy J. Weikert, Covington, Ohio, assigner to General Films, Inc., Covington, Ohio, a corporation of Ollio Filed Oct'. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 315,055 14 Claims. (Cl. 222-183) This invention relates to a container for transporting, pouring, and dispensing liquid materials, particularly milk and milk products.

Small refrigerated cabinets have come into wide use in restaurants, soda fountains and the like for dispensing milk directly from a large container into a drinking glass or the like. These cabinets often accommodate two or more cans of milk so that the supplier can at his convenience, replace the empty containers and still insure that there is at least one full can in the dispenser at all times. The large containers are usually the conventional tive-gallon stainless steel or tin-plated milk cans which have a rubber tube connected to an aperture in the bottom thereof for dispensing the milk. This tube is plugged during shipment, and when the can is placed in the refrigerated cabinet, the tube is inserted through a valve capable of compressing the tube and controlling flow therethrough. The plug is removed from the tube by cutting off the end which protrudes from the valve, so that manual actuation of the valve will permit the ow of liquid through the tube at a controlled rate.

This arrangement completely eliminates the handling of small milk containers by both the milk supplier and the restaurant or soda fountain operator, with a resulting savings of both time and space. In addition, there is no requirement that the supplier maintain expensive bottling or packaging apparatus, as well as the cases and other handling equipment usually associated with the small containers.

However, the use of the metal cans is not completely satisfactory in view of their weight, cost and substantial inability to be nested or stacked. These cans are noisy to handle, and also diflicult to sterilize due to the irregular surfaces and tight corners which necessarily result from the fabrication thereof, and further they are susceptible to becoming permanently dented by rough handling and therefore require frequent retinning. They also do not use a maximum of the space in the refrigerated cabinets, nor is there any easy visual way to determine if a container is completely empty.

One answer to this problem has been the use of corrugated cardboard boxes having disposable plastic liners therein, but this innovation is also undesirable from the cost standpoint since the boxes cannot be cleaned and must be discarded after a single use. They also are relatively weak, and therefore do not satisfactorily withstand the forces present when they are stacked or handled roughly. Both the cans and boxes are diicult to drain completely due to their flat bottom surfaces, and they likewise do not provide an expedient for determining the amount of its contents without picking up the entire container. The inlet and discharge ports are secured to the bag or liner by fusing the plastic bag thereto to the ports and this arrangement often causes leakage of milk which consequently reduces the general acceptance of this handling system.

Moreover, the surfaces of the cardboard boxes are abrasive to the thin walled plastic liners so that the liners can be worn through or weakened during the handling and transportation of the container assembly. These liners are also easily cut during packing by the sharp edges of the box, and the boxes are susceptible to being weakened when they are dampened by moisture and high humidity which accompany all types of refrigeration ICC units. It is also believed that a foreign flavor is vcreated in the milk by the wetted cardboard since the plastic bags may be permeated by gases. In addition, the greases present in conveyors are not compatible with Vthe boxes, and there is no satisfactory expedient for securing the liner securely in the box for complete drainage.

Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide a container assembly for use in dispensing milk and other liquids which is free of the disadvantages outlined above.

Another object of this invention is to provide a container for use of the aforesaid type which can be easily sterilized by conventional steam or chemical methods and apparatus, and particularly to provide such a container which is leakproof, lightweight and resilient, and can be easily nested when empty or stacked when full, so that it presents the ultimate in handling convenience.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved container assembly of the aforesaid type including a flexible bag which is inexpensive to manufacture, and particularly to provide such a container which has a discharge tube assembly on one end thereof and a ll port assembly on the other, both of which have fluid-tight mechanical connections to the bag and are adapted to be held in place against any substantial movement with the supporting container.

A further object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive lined container which is translucent so that the amount of its contents can be readily ascertained, and which is designed for complete drainage through the tube in the bottom thereof, and especially to provide a container of the aforesaid type which also affords the maximum in strength and efficiency in assembly, filling, handling and storage. l

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings: A

FIG. l is a perspective view partially broken away t0 illustrate the container assembly in a refrigerated cabinet;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view illustrating one container assembly stacked on top of another;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the container assembly and cabinet shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing two containers nested together;

FIG. 5 is another sectional view showing a portion of the cap and retainer assembly;

FIG. 6 is a perspective View illustrating the components of the fill port assembly;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view through the port assembly structure shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view, partially in section, of the discharge tube assembly secured to the flexible bag;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the discharge tube assembly;

FIG. 10 is also an enlarged sectional view showing the manner in which the port assembly is secured to the flexible bag;

FIG. l1 is a perspective view illustrating the bag in its completed and empty form;

FIG. l2 is an enlarged sectional view showing the discharge tube in position for shipment;

FIG. 13 is an other enlarged sectional view showing the relation between the discharge tube assembly and the container;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the cover used to enclose the top of the container;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged sectional view along the line 15-15 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 16-16 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged sectional view on the linev 17-17 of FIG. 21 through the structure used to lock the cover and outer cap in the closed position;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 18-18 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 19 is a plan view of the invention illustrating the first .step in securing the port assembly to the cover;

FIG. is a view similar to FIG. 19 but showing the port assembly secured to the cover;

FIG. 21 is a top view of the container assembly in its final enclosed condition with the alternate carrying mechanism attached; and

FIG. 22 is a perspective View 0f an alternate embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, FIG. 1 shows a container assembly 10 in accordance with the invention mounted in the refrigerated cabinet 11 having a door 12 enclosing the open front thereof. The assembly 10 includes a cover 13 which cooperates with the container 14 to enclose the thin walled flexible bag 15 (FIG. 3) which has a fill port 16 in the top thereof and a discharge tube 18 secured to the lower portion thereof. The entire assembly 10 is positioned in the refrigerated cabinet 11, and the tube 17 is inserted through a conventional manually operated valve 18 on the lower portion of the cabinet 11 for control of the flow of milk from the bag 15.

Both the container 14 and its cover 13 are preferably constructed of a resilient and translucent material, such as polypropylene sold under the trade name Escon by the Enjay Chemical Company, New York, New York. This material can be readily injection molded to the desired shapes. It is corrosion and heat-resistant so that the container can be used indefinitely and cleaned or sterilized by using steam or most strong chemicals. The container 14 is substantially square in horizontal crosssection although every corner throughout is rounded for strength and ease in cleaning, and the vertical side walls 21 are slightly thicker at the bottom than at the top for additional support of the increased forces which exist near the bottom when the assemblies 10 are full.

As shown in FIG. 15, the cover 13 fits snugly onto the upper peripheral edge 22 of the side walls 21 with the edges 22 being received between the depending flanges 24 and 25 which extend circumferentially around the outer edge of the cover. The cover 13 is hingedly secured to the container 14 by flexible lock strips 27 (FIGS. 2 and 16) inserted through the slotted openings 28 in the tabs on the rear side of the cover 13, and through the openings 32 in each end of the handle 33 on the container 14. This hinge construction is sufficiently loose to allow the flanges 24 and 25 to be separated from the edge 22, and the cover 13 to be pivoted from the closed position, thus allowing the bag 15 to be removed, replaced or filled, as desired in a minimum of time.

The edge of the cover 13 opposite the hinge connection is locked (FIG. 17) to the handle 35 by inserting a wire 36 through the openings 37 and 38 in tab 41 and handle respectively. Similarly, the outer cap 42, which is hinged to the cover 13 along the line 43, can be secured in the closed position by inserting and securing another wire 44 through the openings 37 and 45 in the tab 41 and arm 46 respectively. This permits the cap 42 to be opened without unlocking the cover 13, or the cover 13 to be released from the container 14 without opening the cap 42 and thus the locking and hinge arrangement of the cover 13 contributes to the flexibility of the assembly 10. However, it is within the scope of the invention to use a single wire to secure these members together.

The bottom wall 48 (FIG. 12) of the container 14 is formed integrally with the side walls 21, and tapers downwardly to the outlet aperture 50 which is located adjacent the lowest point on the bottom wall 48 so that liquids will readily drain from the container. This bottom wall is spaced above the lower peripheral edges 52 of the side walls 21 so that filled assemblies 10 can be stacked one on another, as seen in FIG. 2. When so stacked one on another, as seen in FIG. 2, the lower edges 52 of the top container 14a engage the outer edges 54 of the raised portion 55 and the outer cap 42 on the cover 13 of the lower container 14h, as indicated by the broken lines of FIG. 14, so that relative sliding movement between these assemblies is prevented. Thus, the raised portion 55 on the cover 13 aids in stacking, as well as in reinforcing the relatively thin cover 13.

The lower edge 52 of each container 14 has an inwardly offset or recess portion 57 provided therein below the aperture 50 so that the aperture and the tube 17 extend in an outward and downward direction from the container 14 without obstruction from the edge 52. When one container is stackedA on another, the offset portion 57 of the edge 52 is received by any of the four indentations 58 in the raised portion 55 of the cover 13 so that two assemblies 10 can be stacked together in any one of four positions. The edge 52 may have the relieved portions 59 therein to accommodate the thin tabs on the outer cap 42.

A vertical Igroove 60 is formed in the front side wall 21 (FIG. 3) directly above the aperture 50 for accommodating the discharge tube 17 when the container assembly 10 is being filled, stored, or transported. The groove 60 also serves the important purpose of limiting the extent to which two empty containers 14 can be nested together, since the bottom edge 52 of the top container 14C (FIG. 4) will contact the top 61 of the projection formed by the groove 60 in the interior of the lower container 14d. For preferred results, the containers 14 are nested so that the groove 60 of the upper container is offset angularly from the projection top 61 of the next lower container, as seen in FIG. 4.

The flexible bags or liners 15 are of fluid-tight flexible material, such as polyethylene, and are preferably formed by extruding a tube of this material and then blocking or flattening the tube to form a `double-walled sheet. The double sheet is then center folded, the fill port and discharge assemblies attached, the double sheet is then folded again and the side and top of the bags fused together by heating in the conventional manner, and then the bags are cut apart to form a double-walled bag of substantial strength. Each bag 15 has a volume which is substantially equal to or slightly greater than that of the containers 14 so that maximum use is made of the volume of the container even when a portion of the bag is creased `during filling.

The fill port assembly 65 (FIGS. 5-7 and 10) which defines the port 16 is mechanically secured in a fluid tight manner to the bag without the use of heat, and this assembly includes a frustoconical male member 66 which has there parallel circumferential grooves 67 (FIG. 10) in the outside surface 68 near the larger end thereof. A V-shaped groove 70 having a sharp downwardly extending shoulder 71 is formed above the uppermost of the grooves 67, as seen in FIG. 10, and on the flange 72 at the larger end of the member 66 are a plurality of spaced axial projections or feet 73 which, when the liquid is being poured from the port 16, holds the bag away from the port 16 and thus insures flow therethrough even when the bag 15 is nearly empty.

The port assembly 65 also includes a resilient cap 74 and retainer 75 which are initially formed and placed onto the male member 66 together (FIG. -5). The retainer 75 is used to secure the assembly 65 to the bag 15, and the assembly 65 is secured to the lbag 15 by first cutting an aperture in the bag having a diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the central or mid-portion of the vimale member l66 so that when this member is inserted therethrough, the bag 15 will cover at least the grooves 67. The `integr-al cap and retainer are then forced onto the 4member 66 causing the complementary friction rings or projections 77 to engage the grooves 67 and lock the retainer 75 to the male member 66, with the bag 15 clamped tightly therebetween since the smallest diameter of t-he projections 77 is slightly smaller, e.g. 5/1000 inch, than the corresponding inner diameter of the grooves 67.

The male member and retainer are securely locked together (FIG. l0) when the lip 7S on the upper periphery y'of the retainer 75 is forced below the shoulder 71 on the member 66 since the inner diameter of the retainer 75 at this point is slightly less than the ysmallest diameter of the groove 70. To attain Ithis relation, it is necessary to deform the retainer `slightly as it is forced onto the 4member 66 until it reaches its final posit-ion ion the male member -66 wherein the cooperating grooves 67 receive the projections 77.

In this position, the lip 7S is locked in the V-shaped groove 70, thus creating a fluid-tight connection between the bag 15 and the assembly 65.

The cap 74 is separated from the retainer 75 as it is forced onto the male member 66 since the thin connection 80 therebetween is broken as the outer surface 68 of the male member 66 forces the downwardly extending tubular fiange portion 81 of the cap 74 outwardly. The adjacent portion of the retainer 75 cannot ex to the same extent due to the increased radial thickness at this point, and thus the connection 80 is severed and the members 74 and 75 simultaneously secured in place on the member 66.

The cap 74 is locked in place on the smaller end of the male member 66 by engagement between the external radial projection 83 on the upper periphery of the member 66 with the complementary groove 84 formed at the juncture of the inner side wall surface 86 and the top surface 87 of the cap 74. In addition, this cap is locked to the member 66 by the downwardly sloped circumferential lip 90 on the top surface 87 of the cap 74, which is tightly received in the complementary groove 91 in the inner surface 92 of the member 66 thus resisting inward deformation of the projection 83 and providing a fiuidtight seal between the member 66 and the cap 74.

The port assembly 65 is releasably secured to the cover 13 by engagement with the periphery of the keyhole slot 94 (FIGS. 10, 14, 19 and 20) formed in the cover to insure complete drainage of the associated Ibag 15 by holding the bag upright in the container. For clarity, FIGS. 19 and 20 are shown with the cap 17 removed. The assembly can be easily released from the cover 13 thus permitting the cover to be opened and closed, and the bag 15 to be quickly removed and replaced. Specifically the larger portion of the slot 94 is sufficiently large so that the cap 74 can be easily inserted therethrough (FIG. whereas the adjacent smaller portion thereof is sufficiently small so that the side edges 95 thereof will engage the lower surface of radial flange 97 on the retainer 75. Since the shoulder 98 around the slot 94 prohibits upward movement of the larger radial ange 100 on the retainer 75, the assembly 65 is locked against vertical movement. The edge 95 fits snugly against the surface 101 between the flanges 97 and 100 of the retainer and prohibits radial movement of the assembly 65, and Consequently the port assembly 65 is held securely in position even when the bag is only partially full to facilitate drainage thereof or to permit pouring of the contents of the bag 15 through the port 16.

The cap 74 and keyhole slot 94 are enclosed by the outer cap 42 (FIGS. 14 and 2l) which is secured to the container cover 13 by the hinge 43 and locked in place as explained above. The cap 42 is elongated and cupshaped so that it completely covers the slot 94 and the portion of the port assembly 65 which extends therethrough. The hinge 43 is preferably a thin section of polypropylene which has the characterization of becoming stronger and more exible with use, although other expedients can be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

The discharge tube assembly 102 (FIG. 8) is connected near one edge of the bag 15 in the center thereof (FIG. 1l) in much the same manner as the fill port assembly 65. As shown in FIG. 8, the assembly 102 includes the male member 103 which is inserted through a complementary opening in the bag 15 so that the rounded radial projections 105 extending circumferentially there-around are covered by the portions of the bag. The resilient rubber tube 17, having an inner diameter slightly less than the smallest outer diameter of the member 103, is then forced onto the member 103 around the tubular portion 105 and the annular projections 105 therein s'o that the bag is tightly clamped therebetween in a fluidtight manner.

The passage 106 in the member 103 connects with the interior of the tube 17 for flow therethrough, and the feet 103 on the lower radial flange 109 hold the bag 15 away from the passage 106 to obviate blockage by the bag. The upstanding axial shoulder 110 around the outer periphery of the iiange 109 engages the lower edge 111 of the tube 17 to lock the bag 15 further therebetween, and the sanitary plastic-polyethylene or vinyl film sleeve 112 provided around the tube 17 has its open end also clamped between the shoulder 110 and the tube 17. This sleeve can be easily torn from the tube 17 when the container assembly 10 is installed and ready for use.

When the bag 15 is mounted in the container 14, the tube 17 extends easily through the aperture 50, and the flange 109 (FIG. 8) -on the member 103 engages the periphery of the aperture to limit outward movement of the tube 17. The outer diameter of the member 103 and the tube 17 is slightly more than the diameter of the aperture 50 so that the tube assembly 102 must be forced into the aperture and is subsequently held snugly in place. As a result, additional clamping pressure is generated for holding the tube 17 on the tubular portion 105, as well as for holding the discharge tube assembly 102 in position during filling for complete drainage of the bag. In addition, the bag 15 is clamped with added force between the tube 17 and the portion 105 to create a iiuid tight connection therebetween, and a similar fluid tight connection is created by the snug lit between the assembly 102 and the aperture 50 so that if milk ever leaks from the bag 15 it will be restricted to the container 14. During filling, storage and handling of the assembly, the tube 17 is held in the groove 60 (see FIG. 12), which has sufficient length, width, and depth to accommodate the tube, by a wide piece of pressure sensitive tape 113 which adheres to the edges of the delineating walls forming the recessed portion 57 and the side wall 21 on either side of the groove 60, as seen in FIG. 2.

The container assembly 10 is preferably provided with a carrying handle 115 (FIGS. 2-14) formed integrally on the front side wall 21 thereof near the top edge thereof. By using the handle 115, the assembly 10 can easily be inserted into the limited space of a refrigerator cabinet 14 by grasping the handle and the lower edge 52 of the front side and fitting the assembly into place without the necessity of gripping the sides thereof.

The container assembly 10 is filled by first placing the plastic bag 15 into the container 14 and inserting the flexible ldischarge tube 17 through the opening 50 in the bottom thereof. After the tube 17 is lsecured in the verical groove 60 by the pressure sensitive tape 113 the fill port assembly 65 is connected to suitable apparatus for filling the bag and the cap 74 is removed. Such apparatus is preferably automatically operated so that no air enters the bag, and when the bag is full, the flow of liquid is automatically cut off. The cap 74 is then replaced on the male member 66, and the cover 13 placed on the container 14.

The port assembly 65 is aligned with the keyhole slot 94, and locked in place therein in the manner described above. The outer cap 42 is then pivoted to the closed position to protect the assembly 65, as shown in FIG. 21, and locked in place by the wires 36 and 44. The container assembly 10 is thus ready for storage or shipment to a consumer, both of which are facilitated by the capability of each assembly 10 to be stacked on another without fear of the stack tipping over or the containers burstlng.

The container asembly 10 is easily installed into a refrigerated cabinet by removing the tape 113 and inserting the discharge tube 17 through the control valve associated with the cabinet. Once the end of the tube 17 is cut off 'so that the plug 114 is removed, the milk or other liquid will fiow readily through the tube as controlled by the valve 18. It should be apparent that this container utilizes a. maximum of the space available in the refrigerated cabinet by reason of its rectangular configuration, and as a matter of fact the assembly contains 20% more liquid than the presently used five-gallon metal cans. Also, the translucent container 14 permits the amount of liquid in the bag 15 to be determined easily by a simple glance so that a full container assembly can be replaced when required.

The port and discharge assemblies 65 and 102 hold the bag 15 securely in position while it is being drained, and together with the downwardly tapered bottom wall 48 insure that the bag 15 will be substantially completely emptied. Once the container assembly 10 is empty, it is easily removed from the refrigerated cabinet and returned to the milk supplier or processing ydairy where the cap 42 is unlocked and the port assembly 65 released from the cover 13. The cover 13 is then opened and the plastic bag 15 removed from the container 14 and discarded. The container 10 is thoroughly sterilized by any of the well-known conventional methods, e.g., steam cleaning, and subsequently refilled in the manner described above.

Another embodiment of a carrying device is shown in FIG. 21, and includes a rope 12! of plastic or the like, which is looped under the handles 33 and 35 and held in place by ears 121 on the ends of each of these handles. The central portions of the rope are held together by a plastic tube 123 through which the rope passes, and which is used for carrying so that a soft smooth surface contacts the hand of the person carrying the assembly.

FIG. 22 illustrates a combination fill-port-discharge assembly 125 Whereon the discharge tube 17a is secured directly to the top of the cap 74a so that a container assembly using this structure must be turned over .in order to empty the associated bag 15a. The bag is filled in substantially the same manner as described above, and the cover 74a, male member (not shown), and retainer 75a are otherwise identical to those described above. When this embodiment is used, the container would not require the groove 60 or the aperture 50, and the cover 42 would be modified or eliminated to accommodate the tube 17a.

The invention thus provides a container assembly which is sanitary, leakproof, reusable, inexpensive, and capable of being stored, handled, and used with increased eficiency. The fill port and discharge tube assemblies cooperate With the container and its cover to hold the fiexible bag in position so that substantially all of the liquids are drained from the bag. While the container assembly 10 is particularly adapted for dispensing milk and milk products, it is within the scope of the invention to use it for handling substantially any liquids.

While the method and form of apparatus herein described constitute a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise method and form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is dened in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A container assembly for storing and dispensing liquid, comprising a container including side walls having a bottom wall at the lower end thereof, means defining an outlet opening through one of said side walls adjacent said bottom wall, means defining an exterior groove of predetermined width and depth in said one side wall extendfiexible bag in said container having a volume substantially equal to that of said container and adapted to be filled With a liquid, a flexible tube secured to a lower portion of said bag adapted to extend through said opening :and be positioned outwardly and downwardly of said container or to be received and secured in said groove, means connected to said tube for limiting the extent to which said tube passes through said opening, releasable means for holding said tube in said groove so that said :side walls remain smooth for storage and handling, a cover formed from a plastic material and adapted to be secured on the top of said container to enclose said bag, .a fill port assembly secured to said bag for filling the same, means defining a keyhole opening in said cover for releas- .ably securing said port assembly to said cover in communication with the exterior thereof for filling or emptying said bag, an outer cap formed as an integral part of said cover for enclosing said port assembly, and integral hinge means for securing said cap to said cover.

2. A container assembly for storing and dispensing liquid, comprising a container including side walls having an integral bottom wall at the lower end thereof, means defining an outlet opening at the juncture of said bott-om wall and one of said side walls, a thin-walled flexible bag in said container having a volume substantially equal to said container and adapted to be filled with a liquid, a small :aperture in said bag, tube means secured to a lower portion of said bag and including a connector having a tubular portion with circumferential projections on the 'outside surfaces thereof for insertion through said aperture, a radial fiange on said connector having an outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of said aperture for limiting the extent to which said tube means will extend through said opening, a resilient tube having one end stretched around said tubular portion, an upstanding shoulder on said fiange around said tubular portion and spaced therefrom a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said tube so that said one end of said tube is clamped between said shoulder and said tubular portion, the portion of said bag around the periphery of said aperature being clamped between said tube, said tubular portion and said shoulder, means defining an exterior vertical groove inwardly of the surface of said one side wall and extending upwardly from said opening, said tube being adapted to extend through said opening and to be positicned outwardly and downwardly of said container or in said groove, and releasable means for holding said tube in said groove so that said side walls remain smooth for storage and handling.

3. A container assembly for storing and dispensing liquid, comprising a container including side walls having a bottom wall at the lower end thereof, means defining an outlet opening through one of said side walls adjacent said bottom wall, means defining an exterior groove of predetermined width and depth in said one side wall extending upwardly directly above said opening, a thinwalled flexible bag in said container having a volume substantially equal to said container and adapted to be filled with a liquid, a flexible tube secured to a lower portion of said bag and adapted to extend through said opening and be positioned outwardly and downwardly of said container or to be received and secured in said groove, re- -leasable means for holding said tube in said groove so that said side walls remain smooth for storage and handling, a cover adapted to be secured on the top of said container to enclose said bag, a fill port assembly secured to the top of said bag and having a pair of spaced radially outwardly extending anges thereon one of which has a predetermined outer diameter and the other a larger diameter, and means defining a keyhole shaped opening in said cover having a first portion with a diameter greater than said predetermined diameter but less than said larger diameter and an adjacent smaller portion with a diameter 9 less than said predetermined diameter and substantially equal to an outer diameter of said fill assembly to said cover for snugly engaging said port assembly between said flanges.

4. A container assembly for storing and dispensing liquids, comprising a container having side walls and an integral bottom wall at the lower end thereof, a flexible bag adapted to be placed in said container and filled with liquid in such a manner that said side and bottom walls support the weight of said liquid, a cover adapted to be secured on the top thereof to enclose said bag, a lill port assembly secured to the top of said bag and including a hollow male member having a frustoconical outer surface, a radially outwardly extending flange around the periphery of the larger end of said male member, a plurality of annular grooves of predetermined configuration in said frustoconical surface adjacent said flange, a tubular female member having a plurality of internal projections complementary in number and configuration to said grooves in said male member, means defining an aperture in said bag having a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the central portion of said male member so that when said male member is inserted through said aperture the portion of said bag around said aperture covers said grooves and said flange and is sealed between said projections and said grooves when said male and female members are engaged thus providing a fluid tight port assembly on the bag, and means on said cover for releasably securing said port assembly thereto for insuring that said bag will remain extended when partially empty.

5. A container assembly for storing and dispensing liquid, comprising a container including sid-e walls having a bottom wall at the lower end thereof, means defining an outlet opening through one of said side walls adjacent said bottom wall, an exterior groove of predetermined width and depth in said one side wall extending upwardly directly above said opening, a thin-walled flexible bag in said container having a volume substantially equal to said container and adapted to be filled with a liquid, a flexible tube secured to a lower portion of said bag and adapted to extend through said opening and be positioned outwardly and downwardly of said container to discharge the contents of the bag -o-r to be received and secured in said groove for handling and storage of the container, releasable means for holding the portion of said tube which projects from said opening in said groove, a cover adapted to be secured on the top of said container thereof to enclose said bag, a fill port assembly secured to the top of said bag and including a hollow male member having a frustoconical outer surface and having at least one annular groove of predetermined configuration in said frustoconical surface adjacent one end thereof, a tubular female member having internal projections complementary to said grooves in said male member, said bag being sealed between said projections and said grooves thus providing for a fluid tight connection to said bag, said female member having a pair of spaced radially outwardly extending flanges one of which has a predetermined outer diameter and the other a larger diameter,

'and means defining a keyhole shaped opening in said cover having a first portion with a diameter greater than said predetermined diameter but less than said larger diameter and an adjacent smaller portion with a diameter less than said predetermined diameter and substantially equal t-o the outer diameter of said retainer between said flanges for snugly and releasably securing said retainer to said cover with the other end of said male member positioned above said cover.

6. A container assembly for storing and dispensing liquids, comprising a container having side walls and a bottom wall at the lower end thereof, a flexible bag adapted to be placed in said container and filled with liquid in such a manner that said side and bottom walls support the weight of said liquid, a cover adapted to be secured on the top thereof to enclose said bag, a fill port assembly secured in a lluid tight manner to the top of said bag in communication with the interior thereof, said port assembly having a pair of spaced radially outwardly extending flanges one of which has a predetermined outer diameter and the other a larger diameter, means defining a keyhole shaped opening in said cover having a first portion with a diameter greater than said predetermined diameter but less than said larger diameter and a smaller portion with a diameter less than said predetermined diameter and substantially equal to the outer diameter of said port assembly between said flanges for snugly and releasably securing said port assembly to said cover with the smaller end thereof above said cover, a projection extending radially outwardly from the smaller end of said male member, a resilient cap including an end wall and depending annular side walls complementary to the smaller end of said male member, and internal annular groove means in said cap at the juncture of said side and end walls for receiving said projection to lock said cap on said port assembly.

7. A container assembly for storing and dispensing liquids, comprising a container having side walls and an integral bottom wall at the lower end thereof, a flexible bag adapted to be placed in said container and filled with liquid in such a manner that said side and bottom walls support the weight of said liquid, a cover adapted to be secured on the top thereof to enclose said bag, a fill port assembly secured to the top of said bag and including a hollow male 4member having a frustoconical outer surface and having at least one annular groove of predetermined configuration in said frustoconical surface adjacent one end thereof, a tubular female member having an internal projection complementary to each said groove in said male member, said bag being sealed between said projections and said grooves providing for a fluid tight connection to said bag, said female member having a pair of spaced radially outwardly extending flanges one of which has a predetermined outer diameter and the other a larger diameter, and means defining a keyhole shaped opening in said cover having a first portion with a diameter greater than said predetermined diameter but less than said larger diameter and an adjacent smaller portion with a diameter less than said predetermined and large diameters and substantially equal to the outer diameter of said female member between said flanges for snugly and releasably securing said fill port assembly to said cover with the other end of said male member positioned above said cover.

8. A cap assembly adapted for fluid tight connection to a thin-walled flexible bag having an aperture therein, comprising a hollow male member having a frustoconical outer surface, a radially outwardly extending flange around the periphery of the larger end of said male member, means forming a plurality of annular grooves of predetermined configuration in said frustoconical surface adjacent said flange, a tubular female member having a plurality of internal projections complementary in number and configuration to said grooves in said male member, and said male member having a central portion substantially equal to the diameter of the aperture so that the portion of its bag around said aperture covers said grooves in said flange and is sealed between said projections and said grooves when said male and female members are engaged thus providing a fluid tight cap assembly on the bag.

9. A cap assembly adapted for connection to a thinwalled flexible bag having an aperture therein, comprising a hollow resilient male member having a frustoconical outer surface and at least one annular groove of predetermined configuration in said frustoconical surface adjacent the larger end of said male member, a reduced diameter portion above the uppermost of said grooves creating a shoulder substantially perpendicular to the axis of said male member, a tubular female member having a frustoconical inner surface with an internal projection therein complementary in spacing and conguration to each said groove in said male member, said female member having an inner diameter at the smaller end thereof which is substantially equal to the smallest diameterof said shoulder so that the periphery of said smaller end engages said shoulder and resists separation of said male and female member, and said male member having a central portion substantially equal in outer diameter to the diameter of the aperture in the bag so that the portion of said bag around said aperture covers said grooves and is sealed between said projections and said grooves when said male and female members are engaged thus providing a fluid tight cap assembly on the bag.

10. A cap assembly adapted -for connection to a thinwalled flexible bag having an aperture therein, comprising a hollow male member having a frustoconical outer surface and a plurality of annular prooves of predetermined configuration in said frustoconical surface adjacent the larger end of said male member, a reduced diameter portion above the uppermost of said grooves creating a shoulder substantially perpendicular to the axis of said male mem-ber, a tubular female member having a frustoconical inner surface with a plurality of internal projections therein complementary to said grooves in said male member, said female member having an inner diameter at the smaller end thereof which is substantially equ-al to the smallest diameter of said shoulder so that the .periphery of said smaller end engages said shoulder and resists 4separation of said male and female member, and said male member .having a central portion `substantially equal to the diameter of the aperture in the bag so that the portion of said bag around said aperture covers said grooves and is sealed between said projections and said grooves when said male and female members are engaged thus providing a fluid tight cap assembly on the bag.

111. A cap assembly adapted for connection to a thinwalled flexible bag having an aperture therein, compri-sing a hollow male member having a frustoconical outer surface, a radially outwardly extending flange around the periphery of the larger end of said male member, means forming a plurality of annular grooves of predetermined configuration in said frustoconical surface adjacent said flange, a tubular female member having a frustoconical inner surface with a plurality of internal .projections therein complmentary in number, spacing and configuration to said grooves in said male member, said male member having a central portion substantially equal to the diameter of the aperture in the bag so that the portion of the bag around said aperture covers said grooves and said flange and is sealed between said projections and said grooves when said male and female members are engaged thus providing a fluid tight cap assembly on vthe bag, an exterior projection on the smaller end of said male member, a cap including an end wall and depending annular side walls complementary to the smaller end of said male member, and means forming an internal annular groove in -said cap at the juncture of said side and cover walls for receiving said exterior projection to lock said cap on said male member.

12. A cap assembly adapted for connection to a thinwalled flexible bag having an aperture therein, comprising a hollow male member having a frustoconical outer surface, a radially outwardly extending flange around the periphery of the larger end of said male member, means forming a plurality of annular grooves of predetermined .configuration in said frustoconical surface adjacent said fiange, a reduced diameter portion above the uppermost of said grooves creating a shoulder substantially perpendicular to the axis of said male member, a radially outward projection around the .periphery of the smaller end of said m-ale member, means forming an annular groove on the inside of said male member opposite said outward projection, a tubular female member having a frustoconical inner surface with a plurality of internal projections therein complementary to said grooves in said male member, -said female member having an inner diameter -at the smaller end thereof which is substantially equal to the smallest diameter of said shoulder so that the periphery of said smaller end engages said shoulder and resists separation of said male and lfem-ale member, said male and female members adapted to clamp the bag between said projections and said grooves when said male and female members are engaged thus providing a fluid tight port assembly on the bag, a cap including an end wall and circumferential depending -annular side walls complementary to the smaller end of said male member, and an internal annular groove in said cap at the juncture of said side and cover walls forreceiving said outward projection, and a downwardly and radially outwardly extending lip Ion said end wall of said cover for engaging -said groove opposite said outward projection to resist separation of said cap and said male member.

13. A -container assembly for storing and dispensing liquid, comprising a container including side walls having a 4bottom wall at the lower end thereof, means defining an outlet opening through one of said walls, a thin-walled flexible bag in said container yadapted to be filled with a liquid, a discharge tube assembly secured to a lower portion of said bag and receivable through said outlet opening, said assembly including a tubular bushing having a discharge tube stretched thereover, said bag having an aperture Iin the lower portion thereof through which said bushing is inserted, -a portion of said bag around said aperture clamped between said tube and said tubular bushing for a fluid tight connection therebetween, said outlet opening in `said container having a diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of said tube around said tubular portion so that when said assembly is forced into said outlet opening a fluid tight connection junction is formed between said container, said tube, said bag, and said tubul-ar bushing, one end of said bushing extending outwardly of said tube and having thereon a radial flange with an outer diameter greater than the diameter of said opening for limiting the extent to which said tube assembly will extend through said opening, and cover means on said container for sealing the top thereof to enclose said bag.

14. A container assembly for storing and dispensing liquid, comprising a container including tubular side walls having a bottom wall at the lower ends thereof, means defining an outlet opening through the juncture of said side walls and said bottom wall, a thin-walled flexible bag in said container adapted to be filled with a liquid,

a discharge tube Iassembly secured to a lower portion of said bag and receivable through said outlet opening, said assembly including a tubular bushing having a discharge tube stretched thereover, said bag having an Aaperture therein through which said bushing passes, a portion of said bag around said aperture clamped between said tube and said tubular bushing for a fluid tight connection therebetween, said outlet opening in said container having a diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of said tube around said tubular portion so that when said assembly is forced into said outlet opening a fluid tight junction is formed between said container, said tube, said bag, and said tubular bushing and for anchoring said lower portion of said bag in said container, a cover on said container for sealing the top thereof to enclose said bag, and means for securing the upper port-ion of said bag to said cover for maintaining said bag extended during drainage thereof to insure complete drainage.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,123,254 3/64 Rabby et al 222-105 3,137,415 6/64 Faunce 222-183 3,138,293 6/64 Roak et al 222-107 X LOUIS l. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER ASSEMBLY FOR STORING AND DISPENSING LIQUID, COMPRISING A CONTAINER INCLUDING SIDE WALLS HAVING A BOTTOM WALL AT THE LOWER END THEREOF, MEANS DEFINING AN OUTLET OPENING THROUGH ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS ADJACENT SAID BOTTOM WALL, MEANS DEFINING AN EXTERIOR GROOVE OF PREDETERMINED WIDTH AND DEPTH IN SAID ONE SIDE WALL EXTENDING UPWARDLY DIRECTLY ABOVE SAID OPENING, A THIN-WALLED FLEXIBLE BAG IN SAID CONTAINER HAVING A VOLUME SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THAT OF SAID CONTAINER AND ADAPTED TO BE FILLED WITH A LIQUID, A FLEXIBLE TUBE SECURED TO A LOWER PORTION OF SAID BAG ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGH SAID OPENING AND BE POSITIONED OUTWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY OF SAID CONTAINER OR TO BE RECEIVED AND SECURED IN SAID GROOVE, MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID TUBE FOR LIMITING THE EXTENT TO WHICH SAID TUBE PASSES THROUGH SAID OPENING, RELEASABLE MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID TUBE IN SAID GROOVE SO THAT SAID SIDE WALLS REMAIN SMOOTH FOR STORGE AND HANDLING, A COVER FORMED FROM A PLASTIC MATERIAL AND ADAPTED TO BE SECURED ON THE TOP OF SAID CONTAINER TO ENCLOSED SAID BAB, A FILL PORT ASSEMBLY SECURED TO SAID BAG FOR FILLING THE SAME MEANS DEFINING A KEYHOLE OPENING IN SAID COVER FOR RELEASABLY SEUCRING SAID PORT ASSEMBLY TO SAID COVER IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE EXTERIOR THEREOF FOR FILLING OR EMPTYING SAID BAG, AN OUTER CAP FORMED AWS AN INTEGRAL PART OF SAID COVER FOR ENCLOSING SAID PORT ASSEMBLY, AND INTEGRAL HING MEANS FOR SECURING CAP TO SAID COVER. 